Louis E. Wagner, engineer, pioneered treatment of hazardous waste

Louis E. Wagner, an environmental engineer and pioneer in the treatment of hazardous waste, died Thursday at his Buffalo home after a lengthy illness. He was 76.

Born in Buffalo, Mr. Wagner graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in chemistry. He started his career as a lab technician for Ameron Co. in Buffalo.

In 1969, Mr. Wagner founded Chem-Trol in Blasdell, which was one of the first professional hazardous waste-treatment companies in the United States.

The company was later purchased, but Mr. Wagner founded, and co-founded, several other related companies during his career, including NEWCO Chemical Waste Systems; Recra Research; Environmental Design; Earth Waste Systems; and Green Resource Energy, a manufacturer of a patented biofuel made from recyclable materials.

Mr. Wagner had more than 20 patents to his name and introduced protocols for classifying and evaluating hazardous and nonhazardous waste materials.

He was involved in numerous hazardous waste cleanups throughout Buffalo and the Northeast, which included serving as general contractor for the Phase I abatement program at Love Canal in Niagara Falls.

Often called the “Father of Hazardous Waste” by his peers, Mr. Wagner was inducted into the Environmental Industry Association’s Hall of Fame in 2005.

Mr. Wagner loved to travel and play golf.

He is survived by his wife of 13 years, the former Linda Klimchuk; a son, Thomas; two stepdaughters, Lisa Kazial and Ellen Fort; a stepson, Steven Egidi; and a sister, Patricia Rausche.

Prayers will be offered at 8:45 a.m. on Monday in Amigone Funeral Home, 1132 Delaware Ave., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in St. Louis Catholic Church, 780 Main St., at Edward Street.